resources for teache resources for teachers

By Oliver Goldsmith
Directed By Lucy PitmanPitman-Wallace
RESOURCES FOR TEACHERS
TEACHERS
CONTENTS
3. Introduction
4. Synopsis of the Play
6. Cast & Characters
8. Oliver Goldsmith
9. 18th Century England
12.
12. Directors notes by Lucy PitmanPitman-Wallace
14. Rehearsal photos
16. Follow Up Ideas – Working with the story -‘I think that…’
17. Follow Up Ideas – Working with the story -‘ Media
Exposure’
19. Follow Up Ideas - Working with the text – ‘In my own
words..’
words..’
21. Follow Up Ideas – Working with the text – ‘Soap Opera’
22. Follow Up Ideas - Working away from the Text & the Story
‘Before, During & After...’
23. Useful Web Sites
Sites
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INTRODUCTION
Welcome to this teachers’ resource pack for She Stoops To Conquer by Oliver
Goldsmith.
A classic comedy of manners, She Stoops to Conquer has delighted audiences
for over two centuries. First performed in 1773, the play is a rumbustious story
about two young men, Charles Marlow and George Hastings and their
attempts to court Kate Hardcastle and her friend Constance Neville.
A number of delightful deceits, clever schemes, comic ruses and hilarious turns
of plot must be played out if the two pending marriages are to conclude
happily. Along the way, there is an abundance of merry mix-ups, bawdy
dialogue, much sly satire of the times and one of the great characters of the
stage, Tony Lumpkin.
She Stoops to Conquer is an hilarious comedy of errors; the marvellous
humour and humanity of Goldsmith's play have made it one of the most read,
performed and studied of all English comedies.
This pack contains information relating to the play and ideas for further
exploration of the themes. It also contains an interview with Lucy PitmanWallace (Director) and rehearsal photos taken in August 2010.
Many thanks to Birmingham rep theatre, who designed many of these pages to
accompany their 2007 production of the play.
We hope you find it useful.
Sarah Stephenson
Education Officer
Nottingham Playhouse Roundabout and Education Department
August 2010
Nottingham Playhouse
Wellington Circus
Nottingham
NG2 7FJ
Box Office: (0115) 941 9419
Stage Door: (0115) 947 4361
www.nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk
Roundabout and Education Department: call (0115) 8736231, or email
sarahs@nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk
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SYNOPSIS OF THE PLAY
Act One opens with Squire Hardcastle, and his second wife, Mrs. Hardcastle,
bickering. Mr. Hardcastle teases his wife about her age and her son, Tony
Lumpkin, whom she had with her first husband. Tony is a mischievous man,
with a love for drink and trickery, but not much else. Mrs. Hardcastle is quite
determined that her spoiled and rather stupid son shall marry her niece,
Constance Neville. If they marry she will be able to keep in the family Miss
Neville's fortune – a casket of valuable jewels. Miss Neville and Tony Lumpkin,
however, can only agree on one thing; their hatred of each other.
Miss Neville is secretly pledged to another young man, Mr. Hastings, who is
friends with Mr. Marlow, the son of Mr. Hardcastle’s good friend Sir Charles.
Hardcastle wants Marlow to marry his charming daughter Kate, but Marlow
suffers from extreme anxiety when in the presence of young ladies of equal
social standing and is barely able to speak. He suffers no such fear when in
the presence of women of lower status, however, and successfully flirts with
bar maids, servants and the like.
The Hardcastle family are expecting the arrival of Marlow and his friend,
Hastings. However, Hastings & Marlow have lost their way and stop at the
village inn to get their bearings. Tony Lumpkin is drinking within and hears of
the men’s plight. Being the mischievous fellow that he is he seizes the
opportunity, along with his friends, of misguiding Hastings & Marlow and
causing much merriment. He tells the men that they are so lost that they must
spend the night at a local inn and directs them to the Hardcastle house which
he highly recommends if they will excuse the eccentricities of the owner and
his family.
Neither young Marlow nor Squire Hardcastle sense that both are victims of a
hoax and duly make their way to the Hardcastle house, believing it to be an
inn. When they arrive, they treat Hardcastle as the innkeeper while the squire
(knowing who they are) is much incensed at the bold and impudent behaviour
of his friend's son. Young Hastings, as soon as he sees Constance, puts two
and two together. Constance and Hastings agree to keep Marlow in ignorance
and pretend that Constance and Kate, completely by coincidence, happen to
be stopping the night at the inn.
When introduced to Kate, Marlow can find little to say and stumbles through a
half conversation. In his embarrassment he never once looks at her face. It is
not surprising, therefore, that later in the evening when he sees her going
about the house in the plain house dress her father insists on, he takes her for
the bar maid. She encourages the deception in order to find out if he is really
as witless as he seems. In her bar maid's guise she is pleasantly surprised to
find him not dumb but, indeed, possessed of a graceful and ready wit. When
she reveals herself as a well born but poor relation of the Hardcastle family he
acknowledges his love for her.
It is not until Marlow’s father Sir Charles arrives that the truth is revealed.
Marlow, unaware of the bar maid’s true identity, claims he feels no love for
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Kate Hardcastle and dismisses any possibility of a union between them. Kate,
however, claims that he has declared his love for her. She then sets about
revealing the truth by instructing her father and Sir Charles to hide in the room
where she is about to meet with Marlow. Dressed in her plain clothes, Marlow
(thinking her the bar maid) makes no secret of his feelings for her and all is
revealed.
Whilst all this is going on, Miss Neville and Hastings are plotting to elope.
However, they cannot leave without Constance’s rightful fortune of jewels and
they enlist the help of Tony Lumpkin to achieve this. Tony is only to happy to
help, since the disappearance of Constance will put an end to his mothers
meddling in his love life. All does not go according to plan though. Having
successfully retrieved the jewels from his mother, Tony Lumpkin gives the
jewels to Hastings, who sends them to Marlow for safe keeping. Marlow (not
understanding the significance of the casket) then gives the jewels to a servant
to stow away securely. The jewels end up back with their keeper, Mrs.
Hardcastle. In the end, Hastings and Miss Neville are forced to come clean and
declare their love. It isn’t until Tony Lumpkin refuses her hand that she is free
to marry however, he doesn’t believe he can do this until he is come of age.
Mr. Hardcastle then reveals that he is already of age, a fact that Mrs.
Hardcastle has been keeping from him, and the play ends with two sets of
lovers rightfully betrothed to one another.
Illustration for She Stoops to Conquer
Edwin Austin Abbey, 1885
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CAST & CHARACTERS
MR. HARDCASTLE
(Mike Burnside)
Burnside)
Hardcastle is an old fashioned man, who thinks his wife rather
foolish for her love of the fashions and fancies of London. He is
very fond of his daughter Kate and is keen for her to marry
Marlow.
MRS.HARDCASTLE
MRS.HARDCASTLE
(Joan Moon)
Moon)
Mrs. Hardcastle is a somewhat ridiculous character who enjoys
meddling in the affairs of others. Desperate to marry off her son to
her niece, in order to keep the family jewels, she is selfish and
foolish.
KATE HARDCASTLE
(Ellie Beaven)
Beaven)
Kate is a smart, charming woman, who uses her intelligence and
cunning to win the heart of Marlow.
TONY LUMPKIN
(Chris Nayak)
Nayak)
Tony Lumpkin is the rather spoilt son of Mrs. Hardcastle from her
previous marriage. Fond of drinking and making mischief,
Lumpkin amuses himself by causing havoc for others.
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CONSTANCE HARDCASTLE
HARDCASTLE
(Rina Mahoney)
Mahoney)
Constance is in love with Mr Hastings but her aunt, Mrs.
Hardcastle wants her to marry her cousin Tony Lumpkin. In the
end, Constance wins.
SIR CHARLES MARLOW
(Maxwell Hutcheon)
Hutcheon)
An old friend of Mr. Hardcastle, Sir Charles is as keen as his
friend for his son and Kate to be married.
MARLOW
(Edmund Kingsley)
Kingsley)
Mr. Marlow is struck dumb when in the company of ladies of social
standing. Kate’s clever tactics unite them as a couple in the end.
HASTINGS
(Peter Basham)
Basham)
Hastings is in love with Constance Neville and tries to elope with
her so that they may escape the marriage plans of Constance’s
aunt Mrs. Hardcastle who wants Constance to marry her son
Tony.
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OLIVER GOLDSMITH
1728/30 - 1774
•
Nov 10 1728 or 1730 – Born in Ireland (exact year and location
unknown)
•
1747 – His father (Rector of Kilkenny West) dies.
•
1749 – He gains a Bachelor of Arts in Theology & Law from Trinity
College, Dublin.
•
He later studies Medicine at University of Edinburgh and University of
Leiden, before travelling around Europe living on his wits.
•
1755 & 1757 – He studies at University of Padua, then later moves to
London and works as an apothecary’s assistant.
•
Addicted to gambling, Goldsmith makes some money from being a
‘hack writer’ – paid to write low quality, quickly put together articles or
books.
•
Meets Samuel Johnson
(Essayist) and becomes a
member of ‘The Club’ (dining
and conversation club
founded in 1764) of which
Joshua Reynolds (Artist) is
also a member.
•
1774 – Goldsmith dies from a
kidney infection
•
Most famous works – The
Deserted Village (1770,
poem), The Hermit (1765,
ballad), She Stoops to
Conquer (1771, play – first
performed 1773).
Oliver Goldsmith
8
th
18 CENTURY ENGLAND
SOCIAL CLASS
During the eighteenth century, the people of England were largely divided by social
class. The class that a person belonged to was decided by their wealth, the upper
classes were the richest whilst the lower classes were the poorest. The middle and
upper classes enjoyed the finest food, liquor and fashion available while the lower
classes struggled to survive.
DISEASE
Disease in the cities was rife due to overcrowding, poor sanitation and living
conditions. Smallpox was one of the most common illnesses. During the eighteenth
century it killed an estimated 60 million Europeans. A contagious disease, it was
easily passed from person to person in cramped houses and streets. When a sick
person from the lower class went to hospital to seek medical help, they were often met
with prejudice and ignored in favour or patients with higher social standing.
POVERTY
The lower classes (the poor people) struggled to survive. They would often go hungry
and in very low times bread was all they could get their hands on to eat. In the cities
the poor people lived on the streets or in small, dirty houses with many children
sharing a bed. In the countryside, farmers and their families were forced to share
shelters with their livestock. Their homes were often made of soil or pieces of wood
lashed together.
Prisoners in Newgate
Prison by William
Hogarth
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EMPLOYMENT
The men were largely responsible for going out to work and bringing an income
into the home. Amongst the poor, however, women too sought employment.
Generally though, women were kept busy with the housework and other jobs:
cooking, brewing ale, knitting,
washing, teaching their
children, gardening and
making butter.
Some women chose to set up
shops in the market and sell
products. This helped the
income a lot in the lower class
families.
In the countryside, men were
employed in physical work on
farms – ploughing, planting
and harvesting. During the
harvest, women would assist if
they didn’t have any children
to mind.
Gin Lane by William
Hogarth, 1751
EDUCATION
During the eighteenth century, schools were constantly opening and closing. Fees
were charged to students, to cover the teacher’s wage and books etc. The
likelihood of a school staying open was greatly increased if the school was
attended by children from wealthy
families. If the majority of children
were from poorer families then the
school’s life was likely to be in
constant jeopardy.
Thus education was only readily
available to those who could afford it
and the poor, unable to become
educated and increase their chances
of a better working life, were kept at
the bottom of the social classes.
University was only open to men.
A Georgian market
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CLOTHING
The clothing of the time was very decorative. The women of the upper class
wore nothing but the best material and the finest crafted outfits. Firstly they put
on their linen shirts. These shirts hung down below their knees. They then tied
a string around their waist fastening the shirt. The corset was next. A corset
was a tightly fastened body suit made of cloth and either metal or whalebone
strips. This device was used to shape the body into any figure desired. The
figure of the time was comparable to an hourglass, big on the top and bottom,
but skinny in the middle.
Most women are not naturally shaped like this so a great deal of strain was put
on the body when a corset was worn. Women did a lot of damage to their
bodies, such as tearing skin and even bruising internal organs. It has also been
noted that one woman actually died because her corset was tied too tight.
Men usually shaved their heads and then wore wigs, as wigs were much easier
to manage than a real head of hair. Men were rarely seen without their wigs on
if they owned one. Also many wore three point cocked hats. Three piece suits
were definitely the most common attire for men. The pants were cut really high
and didn’t go past the knees. Some even carried canes.
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DIRECTOR’S NOTES
LUCY PITMANPITMAN-WALLACE
It came as something of a
surprise when Giles Croft asked
me to read She Stoops to
Conquer. After all, I thought of
myself, my designer Jess Curtis
and my composer Mick Sands
as Nottingham Playhouse’s
“Tragedy Team”, having done
The Burial at Thebes here.
Could the Tragedy Team do
comedy?
I read the play and found it very funny: that was a relief. Besides, Oliver
Goldsmith turned out to be an Irishman – and we do do Irish plays! I felt the
play had some great language for the actors to get their teeth into and it had a
lovely sense of its own theatricality.
One of our first questions was how to set the comedy? Not in a Greek
amphitheatre, for sure. We needed a playing space that screamed “Theatre”,
but gave the actors enough freedom to move about. We became inspired by
Pollock’s Toy Theatres with their two-dimensional scenery, ornamental
proscenium arches and relatively bare stages.
Added to this, we wanted to create the pastoral idyll of “Hardcastle Hall”. Jess
found some wonderful naïve-art pictures of livestock painted in the 18th
century. The owners were so proud of their sheep that the artists painted the
animals much bigger than everything else, even the houses. These paintings
became the inspiration for the backdrop of the set design. Look out for big
sheep and a pig at Hardcastle Hall!
Interestingly, the playfulness of such a theatrical design set the actors a
challenge in rehearsal. We discovered that if we were to care about the
characters and not be distracted from the plot, the actors had to go for truthful
playing. We had to find what a modern audience would have in common with
these characters from 1773. In Kate and Marlow, we found a young couple
falling in love; in Hardcastle, a father worrying about the right partner for his
beloved daughter; in Tony Lumpkin, a wild young man being spoilt by his
overindulgent mother. On top of that, we found Londoners being resented for
thinking themselves superior to people living elsewhere, and men who behave
one way in the pub and another in polite society! In short, we found plenty to
relate to. We hope you do too, as the Tragedy team “stoops to conquer”
Comedy.
Lucy Pitman-Wallace,
Director.
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REHEARSAL PHOTOS
Edmund Kingsley
Joan Moon and Rina Mahoney
rPeter Basham and cast
Ellie Bevan and Rina Mahoney
Joan Moon and Maxwell
Mike Mike Burnside
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FOLLOW UP IDEAS
Working with the Story
‘I think that…’
Use the following as starting points for discussion and debate:
•
She Stoops to Conquer is also known as The Mistakes of a Night.
Which is the better title and why?
•
The casket of jewels belonging to Constance Neville were kept by her
aunt Mrs. Hardcastle. Should Constance have just taken them when she
wanted them? Why didn’t she?
•
Mr. Hardcastle is strict about the way in which Kate dresses. Why is he
so? What do you think about his opinion?
•
Marlow is unable to converse with women of equal social standing, yet
he has no problem with women of a lower class. What does this suggest
about him and his view/respect of women?
•
Does Kate lower her standards in order to get her man? What do you
think?
•
Mrs Hardcastle is adamant that Constance and Tony will marry
according to her arrangements. What do you think of arranged
marriages? What are the pros and
cons? Is Kate and Marlow’s
marriage arranged?
•
Mrs Hardcastle has no control
over her son Tony. Why is this?
•
Hastings and Constance collude in
deceiving Marlow. Why do they do
this?
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FOLLOW UP IDEAS
Working with the Story
‘Media Exposure’
Choose one of the events in the story to focus on and then choose a
media format to work with. Create something that could be released to
the media for public viewing in 2007. Use the suggestions below, or pick
your own starting point.
TV – The Hotel Inspector
Write the script and storyboard a TV
show based on The Hotel Inspector in
which the characters Marlow and
Hastings give their opinion on Mr.
Hardcastle’s home (which they believe to
be an inn).
TV – Blind Date
Write the script and if possible film a
version of Blind Date in which Hastings
and Marlow pose questions to potential
lovers. What questions could they ask?
Include Kate and Constance in the line up of potential lovers: how do
Constance and Kate get their men? What do they say? Swap over the roles
and create a version where Kate & Constance get to choose: how do Hastings
& Marlow ensure they are picked?
TV – Panorama
Write and storyboard a documentary about one of the events of the story. From
what perspective will you write it? What aspect of the story will you concentrate
on? Where will you set it? Which character will you focus on? It may help you
to choose a question to base your programme around. What lengths would you
go to get your man? Are women cleverer than men? Does money buy you
happiness? What are upper class men really like?
Magazine – OK!
Create a magazine article in the style of OK! Magazine which follows the
wedding of Kate Hardcastle and Marlow. Write interviews with the bride and
groom and their parents. What questions would you ask them? What would
their responses be? What photographs would you include? Where would they
be taken? Think about the slant you might like to put on the article – what
would the headline be?
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Newspaper – The Daily Mail
Write an article about Mrs. Hardcastle, her marriage and her life in the country.
What would she say about these things? Would the newspaper put a slant on
her comments? What would the headline be? Choose a focus for the article to
help you. ‘Town versus Country’ – what do the wives of two respected society
gentlemen think? Would Mrs. Hardcastle speak of her former husband?
Magazine – Heat – ‘Man of the Month’
Write an article about Tony Lumpkin which focuses on trying to get him a wife.
How would you describe him as a potential suitor? What sort of woman might
suit him best? What aspects of his life would you include and are there any you
might think it best to leave out?!
Radio – Desert Island Discs
Write a radio programme which has
one of the characters from the play as
a special guest. What questions
would the interviewer ask them and
what would they talk about? What
songs (from modern day) would the
character choose to take with them to
a deserted island and why?
Radio – Jeremy Vine
Write a slot for Jeremy Vine’s radio show on BBC Radio 2, which focuses on
parent and child relationships. Mrs. Hardcastle could be a caller, who calls in to
the show to discuss her difficulties with her son Tony. What advice might she
be given? What other guests might be in the show to advise her: child
psychologist? Counsellor? Doctor? Police Officer? Should Tony receive an
ASBO for his behaviour at the local inn?!
Radio – Quick Quiz
Write a quiz for radio about the events and characters of She Stoops to
Conquer. Record a slot for radio in which the quiz features and get your peers
to compete to win. Think about varying the type of quiz questions. You might
like to include: Who said this..? Questions about quotes: Which character did
this…? Questions about events: What are the two names by which the play is
known…? Plus questions about the play.
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FOLLOW UP IDEAS
Working with the Text
‘In my own words…’
Look at the following scripts extracts, discuss the meaning and put the
words into modern day language.
Act I - Scene I
Hardcastle: (Talking about Mrs. H & Tony) Ay, there goes a pair that only spoil
each other. But is not the whole age in a combination to drive sense and
discretion out of doors? There’s my pretty darling Kate! The fashions of the
times have almost infected her too. By living a year or two in town, she’s as
fond of gauze and French frippery as the best of them.
Act I – Scene I
Miss. Hardcastle: (Talking after her father has told her about Mr. Marlow) Lud,
this news of papa’s puts me all in a flutter. Young, handsome; these he put
last; but I put them foremost. Sensible, good-natured; I like all that. But then
reserved, and sheepish, that’s much against him. Yet can’t he be cured of his
timidity, by being taught to be proud of his wife? Yes, and can’t I – but I vow I’m
disposing of the husband before I have secured the lover.
Act I – Scene II
Miss. Hardcastle: (After her first meeting with Marlow) Ha! Ha! Ha! Was there
ever such a sober sentimental interview? I’m certain he scarce looked in my
face the whole time. Yet the fellow, but for his unaccountable bashfulness, is
pretty well, too. He has good sense, but then so buried in his fears, that it
fatigues one more than ignorance. If I could teach him a little confidence, it
would be doing somebody that I know of a piece of service. But who is that
somebody? – that, faith, is a question I can scarce answer.
Act I – Scene II
Mrs. Hardcastle: (Talking about her husband to Mr. Hastings) Yet, what
signifies my dressing when I have such a piece of antiquity y my side as Mr
Hardcastle: all I can say will never argue down a single button from his clothes.
I have often wanted him to throw off his great flaxen wig, and where he was
bald to plaster it over like my Lord Pately, with powder.
17
Hastings: You are right, madam; for, as among the ladies there are none ugly,
so among the men there are none old.
Mrs. Hardcastle: But what do you think his answer was? Why, with his usual
Gothic vivacity, he said I only wanted him to throw off his wig to convert it into a
tete for my own wearing!
Act III – Scene I
Mrs. Hardcastle: (Talking to Constance Neville) Indeed, Constance, you
amaze me. Such a girl as you want jewels? It will be time enough for jewels,
my dear, twenty years hence, when your beauty begins to want repairs.
Miss Neville: But what will repair beauty at forty, will certainly improve it at
twenty, madam.
Act III – Scene I
Maid: (Speaking to Miss Hardcastle about Miss Hardcastle’s plan to disguise
herself) But what do you hope from keeping him in his mistake?
Miss Hardcastle: In the first place, I shall be seen, and that is no small
advantage to a girl who brings her face to market. Then I shall perhaps make
an acquaintance, and that’s no small victory gained over one who never
addresses any but the idlest of her sex. But my chief aim is to take my
gentleman off his guard, and like an invisible champion of romance, examine
the qiant’s force before I offer to combat.
There are many more sections of the text that would be interesting to use
for translation into modern day language, choose the ones you think
would work well.
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FOLLOW UP IDEAS
Working with the Text
‘Soap Opera’
Using the original text or a modern re-written version of your own, to
create a soap opera for either radio or television.
Things to consider…
•
How long will each episode be?
•
What budget do you have for
each episode, the actors, the
camera crew/radio studio
technicians, costumes etc?
•
What part of the country do you
want the story be set in? Why?
•
Which famous actors could you
use to play the various different
characters?
•
Would you want the actors to use a particular accent? Why that one?
•
What filming style would you use? Consider the various styles used
by soap operas – Hollyoaks uses a very different style to Coronation
Street.
Things to do…
•
Decide where your recording is to be made – does that present any
challenges (getting the lighting right for a TV film, dealing with any
external noise, etc)?
•
Create a storyboard for each episode – are there any difficulties you
need to overcome in order to film/record the scenes?
•
Write a list of all the sound effects you will need for each scene for
the radio version. How will you make the sounds?
•
List all the costumes and props needed for the television version.
Where will you get them from?
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FOLLOW UP IDEAS
Working away from the Text & the Story
‘Before, During & After...’
Using the text and the events of the story as stimulus, consider what else
could have been written or included in the play, or write a sequel. Use the
suggestions below or pick your own.
Letters
•
Write a love letter from Hastings to Constance before his arrival at the
Hardcastle house.
•
Write a letter from Hardcastle to Marlow, inviting his son to meet his
daughter Kate.
•
Write a letter from Mrs Hardcastle to Constance explaining the
disappearance of the family jewels.
Diary Entries
•
Write a diary extract for Kate on
the day that she and Marlow
become betrothed.
•
Write a diary extract for Tony
Lumpkin on the day he
discovers he is ‘of age’.
•
Write a diary extract for Mr
Hardcastle on the day he sees
his daughter marry Marlow.
Play Scripts
•
Write a script for a scene between Mr. And Mrs. Hardcastle before the
weddings of Constance & Kate. Mr. & Mrs. Hardcastle are shopping for
clothes in London!
•
Write a script for a scene in the local inn where Tony Lumpkin tells the
story of all that has happened and tells all his friends of his future plans
now that he is ‘of age’!
•
Write a scene for the servants in which they give their opinion of what is
going on in the house when Marlow and Hastings arrive.
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USEFUL WEB SITES
http://www.noelcollection.org
Photo of Oliver Goldsmith
http://en.wikipedia.org
Encyclopaedia entry for She Stoops to Conquer
http://www.enotes.com/she-stoops/
Notes on the play, characters, themes etc
http://www.nwe.ufl.edu/~pcraddoc/stoops.html
Comment on the play by Anita White
http://www.heritagetheatre.com/product_info.php/products_id/34
DVD of the play
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